1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general relates to automobile infant-seats and, more particularly, to devices that provide assistance when carrying an infant-seat.
Regulations require that infants, when placed in an automobile, be secured in an approved type of a car seat, also known as an infant-seat.
Infant-seats are well known types of devices that are secured to the automobile by the restraint system (i.e., the seat belt) of the automobile and which, in turn, secure the infant thereto, thus protecting the infant in the event of an impact or a sudden stop.
Because the design of infant-seats are regulated, they must contain certain features and therefore, share close similarities. For example, all common types of infant-seats include a pivotal carrying handle that pivots about an axis that is located approximately at the center of gravity axis of the infant-seat.
The location chosen for placement of the handle is intentional. When the handle is pivoted upward and is used to support both the infant-seat and an infant placed therein, the seat is then held in the normal (i.e., level) position. Obviously, it would be undesirable for the handle to support the infant-seat in such a manner so as to tilt the infant-seat and increases the risk that the infant might fall out of it.
Parents or caregivers then routinely carry the infant-seat by the handle along with the infant therein to stores, shops, and the like. Needless to say, the weight of carrying both the infant and the infant-seat wears upon the person over time.
Furthermore, the handle can tend to apply all of the weight of both the infant and the seat to a relatively small area of the arm, for example, of the person that is supporting them. The pressure is greater than if the infant were carried by him or herself in which case the weight would be distributed over a greater area of contact. The area of contact by the handle tends to create a pressure point.
If the person carrying the infant and the infant-seat by the handle becomes fatigued there is at best some discomfort for the person having to carry the infant-seat and at worst there is risk of dropping the seat and of harming the infant who is disposed in it.
Awareness of the underlying discomfort of carrying the infant and infant-seat in that manner can manifest itself as a tendency to leave the infant in the infant-seat resting upon a surface while the parent or caregiver runs a xe2x80x9cquickxe2x80x9d errand. The absence of proximal care by the parent or caregiver increases the risk of an abduction or other possible form of abuse occurring to the infant.
Though the known prior art shows little or no recognition of the aforementioned problems, the use of a shoulder strap, for example, to directly support an infant (not an infant-seat) is known though not to support an infant-seat itself. The variations that do exist from manufacturer to manufacturer of infant-seats produced have precluded discovery of a solution heretofore.
Also, as there are many infant-seats already in use, it would indeed be desirable to provide a solution to the problem of safely and comfortably transporting an infant-seat that can both be utilized with new products being sold or developed and also retrofitted to work with existing infant-seats that have already been sold and are now in use.
Another impediment that has prevented solution thus far relates to increasing the weight or bulk of current infant-seats. Any type of an assist, if added to the infant-seat, can potentially increase either the weight or size (bulk) of the infant-seat. Neither type of an increase is desirable.
A further obstacle tending to preclude a solution is that any type of an assist to aid in carrying the infant-seat, if added to the seat, then becomes an added encumbrance when it is not in use. Any type of assist, such as a strap, can snag on an object, for example, when the person carrying the infant-seat passes by the object if the assist is not actively being used. This is a real possibility if the person carrying the infant-seat is only going to traverse a short distance and does not feel that he or she needs an assist. A strap, for example, if not used would then dangle from the infant-seat if not used.
If this were to occur, there is risk that the forward motion of the infant-seat (and infant) would be stopped abruptly, thereby possibly dislodging the infant-seat from the person and causing it to fall.
Furthermore, additional straps and the like, if used, pose a health hazard to the infant when they are not in use. There is risk that the infant can become ensnared in any such type of an accessory and that it could, for example, become wrapped around the infant""s neck, thereby creating a choking hazard.
Another difficulty is that parents and caregivers are of different physical sizes and have different preferences as to the ideal position for carrying an infant-seat. Some would prefer to carry the infant-seat high on their person while others would prefer that it be carried low about or even below their waist. Therefore, an ideal assist would also have to be adjustable.
Compounding the requirement of an assist being adjustable, a mother might carry the infant-seat and then hand it over to a father to carry who would then have to readjust any possible type of an assist to suit his needs and preferences. Therefore, the assist device should be readily adjustable to accommodate such changing requirements.
As such, a solution to the problem of providing an assist to carry an infant-seat has proven itself to be elusive.
Accordingly, there exists today a need for a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that provides an assist to a person carrying the infant-seat that does not provide a significant increase in weight or bulk, nor substantially increase the risk of it becoming an encumbrance or a hazard to the well being of the infant when it is not in use.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Infant carriers and accessories are, in general, known. For example, the following patents describe various types of these devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 2,689,672 to Thompson, Sep. 21, 1954;
U.S. Pat. No. 2,804,249 to Manalo, Aug. 27, 1957;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,234,229 to Arnold, Nov. 18, 1980;
U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,346 to Fischer, Jr., Dec. 11, 1984;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,011,057 to Perruzza et al., Apr. 30, 1991;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,709 to Hoaglan, Jun. 4, 1991;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,680 to Torok, Dec. 7, 1993;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,620 to Bergqvist, Feb. 13, 1996;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,522,528 to Petricola, Jun. 4, 1996;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,540,365 to LaMair, Jul. 30, 1996;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,573,156 to McConnell, Nov. 12, 1996;
U.S. Pat. No. 5,732,861 to Jakobson, Mar. 31, 1998; and
U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,580 to Fair, Sep. 29, 1998.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that is easy to use.
It is also an important object of the invention to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that can be used with newly manufactured infant-seats.
Another object of the invention is to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that can be retrofitted to already manufactured infant-seats.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that does not substantially increase the weight or bulk or the infant-seat.
Still yet another object of the invention is to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that does not provide a hazard when not in use.
Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that includes a shoulder strap that can retract when not in use.
Still yet another important object of the invention is to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that includes a shoulder strap that can be secured (i.e., locked) in place at a desired length when it is in use.
Still one other object of the invention is to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that is readily adjustable.
Still one other important object of the invention is to provide a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap that can fit a wide variety of infant-seats with minimal modification.
Briefly, a retractable infant-seat shoulder strap for use with automobile types of infant-seats that is constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention has a coiled holder with an extensible strap attached thereto to one side of the infant-seat. The extensible strap includes a first end with a fastening device such as a spring clip that is attached thereto. The first end can be extended from the coiled holder and the extensible strap can be set to any desired length and locked at that position by the coiled holder for as long as desired. The fastening device (i.e., the spring clip) is attached to a mating member such as a screw-eye that is disposed on a side of the infant-seat opposite that of the coiled holder. The extensible strap is then used as a shoulder strap to assist in supporting the infant-seat.